TO ADOPT ENGLISH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 243, 11 October 1916, Page 2

TO ADOPT ENGLISH.

THE TOELANESIAN MISSIOH. BISHOP WOOD RETPRNS FBOM CONEERENCE.;-'i^-;

ALL WELL IN THE.*B^M>S.

'•"From darkness is the experience in a doubJej?sense of .the taut little mission stejiiner Southern Cross . which berthed at 1 Queen's wharf during the forenoon.,^/In the first' place, she has come from the ohseurity of the Melanesianvlslands after a continuous voyage o|T four months'. duration, and, secondly, she wtas overtaken by. a dense thickest ever experienced b}' Captain Burgess—just after leaving Norfolk Island oh Saturday, and only saw the clear light of day ai an early hour this morning. Her arrival was greeted by "a -band of relatives and friends anxious-to welcome home the men wbo brave the uncertain island seas for the sake of the mission and of the dusky souls -who are being won into ways of civilisation; but much as-the return of the Southern Cross may mean to people in Auckland, the sight of her means in-finitely-more to the lonely missioners who depend upon her visits for their supplies. In this connection it may be stated that, whereas the Southern Cross usually -visits, these isolated outposts twice in , the year; she was only able to nidcfce'one trip during the twelve just ended. The war and the consequent -falling- off in contributions were the principal reasons. A HISTORIC CCCVFEREXCE. "But we are ending up the year by paying all our bills, and-so we are very thankful," said the Bishop of Melanesia (Dr. C- J. Wood), who arrived by the • Southern Cross, and was subsequently interviewed by a representative of the "Star." The Bishop added that it was one thing to drop a trip occasionally and another to permanently reduce the number of trips per year, by ■which -he probably meant that he and his staff are quite hopeful for the future. " The most interesting piece of information .."which Dr..-Wood had to impart was that a decision had been arrived at to adopt Eng.lish as thAjanifo33nJangijage.for_themKi- :- sion fields.' A 'big "conference was held ijnite recently—the most important since .the one organised by Bishop Wilson ,m • 1911,.and discussion was revived on this -important question. The iMelanesians all speak archaic forms of : the Malayo-' Polynesian linguistic. family, which would suggest" that at some remote period they.came.under the influence of the more civilised.'Bolynesians. A fact which renders the Language problem all the move difficult is that a different dialect is spoken at almost every landing, so different, in fact, that natives from other islands cannot understand. The Bishop expressed;the opinion that in the past this circumstance had given rise to much of the fighting between island tribes. "The development of' the islands is now going forward," he said, ."and English is being introduced as a living tongue by the traders and, other white ".'people who are coming to ..the islands.- The proposal.to adopt it has been seriously talked over for ten years. VTJie ."Conference: decjded;.that in- future English shall be used in our central schools, and in. the schools where our '.■vvhite teachers- work afr Norfolk Island." The.-Bishop added that the \vhole problem of the IMelanesian Mission Kinged upon language, and the use of the Mota •language in all-the Banks Islands had riot Seen aTtogetner satisfactory. £ ■ SPREAD OF CHUrSTIANfTY. • '.' ; .The.jtrork ofithe missipn is advancing quietly, explained Dr. Wood, arid every -year it is found that new native schools are being opened. The-work Js mainly "done by missionary native teachers under the. supervision of white teach ere, of whom there are very few. By way of .illustrating the. results w/hich-sere springing up from earlier, work among the natives, iDr. Wood said that two years ago -he took a native away from Tikopia tc baptise him. This year, he came back tc him and said," "Bishop, if you will baptise these other two men we three will |fo and establish. Christianity . in Cherry "Island." After careful, inquiries the Bishop found that the candidates were exceedingly earnest, having- persevered all toy themselves in "their study of"Chri3They were, baptised, ■and.when the Biehop returned to CheTry Island he found titat the people had recieved them, built them a church, and made them a garden. "That," added the Bishop, "is one of the best illustrations of the advance., .cf.. Christianity ..that has come under, my notice since L became Bishop of 3, .. . .-..'.'-.". SSjMPATHKERS WITS" EKCHAND/ " As may. easily be imagined, dwellers, on the Melaneshm : letende are practically cut off-from news of tine outer- -vorld. Aβ an instance, Dr. Wood said" that they hear of «ie death of Lord Kitchener until _tihe-Southern; Cross reached the Solomon Islands, long after- the regretted event. He added that the natives wpre very curious to know how the war was going. They all believe that England is fighting not from any love of warfare, but because she found it necessary to defend the right and help smaller natione. There is not the slig-htest difficulty in reconciling this to- Christian beliefs-because they realise "that. England did not make the.war.. "I .some.times think," added the Bishop, "that owing to their former love of fighting the islandets are. not surprised: at.other people fighting, too." ■ ' • GBOWTHrOF THE OQPRAJ TSADEI Speaking- of -the -development of tbn' islands, BishoprWood -said that copra' plantations are being extended '.in - inisj Solomons and the New Hebrides.--Finns like Burns, Philp and Co., of Sydney, and Lever Bros, and Co., the well-known, manufacturers, of soap, etc, are sendinjr more traders out, and although their copra plantations are not very old the output is steadily increasing." " The recent freedom from hurricanes is helping them, but the reduced shipping service consequent on the war is proving somewhat inconvenient. On the whole, however, the islands appear to be muoh as usual.